Detroit Evening Report: ‘Little Amal’ visiting Metro Detroit to raise refugee crisis awareness
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The animatronic puppet Little Amal visits Castlefield Bowl, Manchester, on Nov. 3, 2021.
As part of a campaign to raise awareness of the global refugee and migrant crisis, a performance art project will make its way to Metro Detroit this week.
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Little Amal is a 12-foot Syrian puppet that is making her way to Detroit and Dearborn as part of a 6,000-mile journey across the country. She represents a 10-year-old Syrian refugee who has “become an international symbol of compassion and human rights.”
Amal translates to “hope” in Arabic.
Detroit resident Ali Abazeed says Little Amal is a reminder that the refugee crisis still persists around the world.
“Little Amal coming to Dearborn and Detroit is a reminder that this issue is around us, that refugees are still struggling, and that we as a global community can and should be doing more to bring this story to the forefront,” Abazeed says.
During the “Amal Walks Across America,” tour, Little Amal is visiting the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) headquarters at 2651 Saulino Ct. in Dearborn on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
The project will then head to Detroit’s Mexicantown on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Bagley Pedestrian Bridge, followed by a visit to East Jefferson Avenue and Dubois Street at 8:30 p.m.
Little Amal was built by the South African Handspring Puppet Company and led by The Walk Productions. They’re a collaboration of international and grassroots network of producers, artists and partners. Learn more about the tour at walkwithamal.org.
Other headlines for Sept. 25, 2023:
- President Biden to meet with striking UAW members
- City Institute hosting Southwest Detroit tours during Hispanic Heritage Month
- Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunities offering grants to remove employment barriers
- 2023 Great Lakes Women’s Business Conference kicks off this week in Novi
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
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